Post AuYZi7vnK4GhNrBEvY by almad@fosstodon.org
(DIR) More posts by almad@fosstodon.org
(DIR) Post #AuYFuzDt0qYL3bUseu by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-28T11:38:54Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
Apple’s App Store has become an embarrassment. It’s nearly impossible to find apps that do not expect you to subscribe even to use the “free” features: three day free trial and then you are subscribed. What do these apps do? Convert videos to GIFs. We’re not talking about the labor and creativity of a master programmer here. Pure exploitation.
(DIR) Post #AuYGF4Wj0ENZIYt0N6 by nazokiyoubinbou@urusai.social
2025-05-28T11:42:31Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird IMO Apple has taught people to expect to pay for everything and devs caught on to that.
(DIR) Post #AuYGHbr23wuTF0awK0 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-28T11:43:01Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
I find the business model of hoping people forget to cancel your service disgusting. I wouldn’t trust software from anyone happy to make money in that way. They are hoping you will forget and feel bad about it and blame yourself for the wasted funds. But, really this practice should hardly be legal. It’s borderline.
(DIR) Post #AuYGU6sEYjMWvA7LI8 by Da_Gut@dice.camp
2025-05-28T11:45:13Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird it is so common though that there is a service you can subscribe to which will unsubscribe you to all of the things that you have forgotten to unsubscribe to.
(DIR) Post #AuYHeJaeEcRzD5K0wa by ApostateEnglishman@mastodon.world
2025-05-28T11:58:15Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I can't be the only one who's way more likely to use a service that doesn't ask for my bank details up-front just to have a "free trial". All premium features should be opt-in, not opt-out.That said, there's a #FOSS version of almost everything these days so I try to pay for as little as possible. 🤷♂️
(DIR) Post #AuYHlqREVLP177VabY by mdstevens0612@mas.to
2025-05-28T11:59:37Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@futurebird Kinda feels like every platform is getting overrun by charlatans and grifters. Everyone is trying to become a digital landlord. Other day I tried to use an app that turns links into QR codes; It didn't do that. It actually made a QR code that linked to their platform which redirects to your link, and they'd break the link after 30 days if you didn't pay.Charlatans and grifters, I tell you.
(DIR) Post #AuYKb31HgcFaoNukoy by tyx@lor.sh
2025-05-28T12:31:17Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Why then choose "walled garden" of a most disgustingly greedy company?Apple does everything to ward off people making free apps. Just read about all the hops you need to do to publish an app on the store. Maintaining the store costs money and paying for "free riders" in not on the rotten apple core plan.
(DIR) Post #AuYLJlhIw8w87QtSAS by masto@masto.masto.com
2025-05-28T12:39:05Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird When I bought a subscription app yesterday I got a pop up asking if I wanted to turn off renewal reminders (you’ll get less email!)
(DIR) Post #AuYMQI1jkVMs4x7kmm by bfuhrman@mastodon.social
2025-05-28T12:51:43Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird And that’s why I refuse to use any software that’s not FOSS or a one time purchase, with the exception of Pro Tools, which is required (and paid for) by work.
(DIR) Post #AuYSMBr7LqAzVPaM3U by twipped@twipped.social
2025-05-28T13:58:14Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird And its probably just a wrapper around ffmpeg
(DIR) Post #AuYUN16yz0FGNhWnj6 by cavyherd@wandering.shop
2025-05-28T14:20:41Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird My beloved graphics program, Pixelmator, used to be one-and-done $50. In the last six months, they moved to purchase through the App Store. I haven't had the courage to check if it's subscription, now. (I'm betting that it is.)I used to love Apple so much.... 😭
(DIR) Post #AuYUfTTCHnl9XsihBA by Wrap02@mas.to
2025-05-28T14:24:09Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Just read all the replies & not a one mentions all the ADS that users are now subjected to. Those ads are the means to pay developers.Also, no one mentions that the app charade is declaring apps we’ve enjoyed & used as obsolete & demand downloading the updated versions.Repeated Tech world Additional Costs are “updates” no one wants or needs. If it ain’t broke, don’t “fix” it!Capitalism without regs is authoritarianism.
(DIR) Post #AuYWEfOc2MdUcgv7eS by mafm7956@infosec.exchange
2025-05-28T14:41:40Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird subscription-based society is what they want to implement
(DIR) Post #AuYYv71Nuu1GN9QIDo by bk1e@mastodon.social
2025-05-28T15:11:47Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I find it amazing that iOS has this capability built-in but it’s only supported through the “Shortcuts” app.
(DIR) Post #AuYZi7vnK4GhNrBEvY by almad@fosstodon.org
2025-05-28T15:20:39Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I mean, as long as their dispute policies still work…
(DIR) Post #AuYqNIlhX8k88O7B2G by kwantumkraut@corteximplant.com
2025-05-28T18:27:21Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird If you pay for an app once, Apple gets the cut once. If you have a subscription, they’ll get a steady stream of monthly income so they of course want to push apps with a subscription model. Doesn’t matter the quality of the app.
(DIR) Post #AuZEzrUBIjJtiEq7Wa by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-28T23:03:15Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@rhempel I hope they do, but really just because tech and credit card companies have made it easier to make "subscriptions" to things that no person should have to subscribe to doesn't mean that it's good practice to have the ability to offer such contracts be so easy. At this point I'd be happy to see a ball of red tape thrown at the entire "industry" -- along with the "pay in installments" people. They aren't contributing to value or commerce just fishing for cash.
(DIR) Post #AuZF7ee8vBHKD0DObo by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-28T23:04:42Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@rhempel Don't we all have an aunt or uncle who we have had to go over their bills with clearing out all these parasites?
(DIR) Post #AuZGkfp0aMKp6MT0ZE by AMS@infosec.exchange
2025-05-28T23:22:55Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Apple's store was a disgrace from day one. This is just par for the course.
(DIR) Post #AuZInakU6RL293s0VU by burnitdown@beige.party
2025-05-28T23:45:49Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird the golgeogg Play Store is about the same. i don't install anything from it, if i can avoid it. it seems to be the inevitable fate of these kinds of corporate software environments. there were a lot of similar programs in the dying days of DOS 6.22, and again with Win3.1, Win95/98, and XP. they didn't subscribe you to anything, but the amount of "free trial" garbage software that often does what something available for zero dollars ever does better starts to drown out the thing you're looking for. i think Stephen King was onto something with The Langoliers. computers and the internet have them, but instead of eating up the past, they turn everything mediocre.
(DIR) Post #AuZIyAR0HLXTibniDY by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-28T23:47:46Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@bk1e These instructions are for an older iOS, or and I've been finding this more often, just a generated guess as to what such instruction might look like. This like most useful things has been removed.
(DIR) Post #AuZM3UfglXTjnBtvxw by gregly@retro.pizza
2025-05-29T00:22:21Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird You used to be able to search by whether apps had in-app purchases; that was quietly removed when Apple realized they could skim way more profits off of subscriptions than one-time purchases.
(DIR) Post #AuZOzBj3Yyddjn7Bgm by bk1e@mastodon.social
2025-05-29T00:55:10Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird The instructions are outdated (2020) but the functionality still works with the latest iOS. I used it last month.
(DIR) Post #AuZUpQsUyJw5YpGLzs by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-29T02:00:41Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@bk1e I think they are trying to phase out the shortcut app? When you click on it it just takes you to the applications list, unless you re-download it from the cloud. IDK what happens if you never had it.
(DIR) Post #AuZWF4KhW5gl7bF5kG by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-05-29T02:16:31Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@bk1e OK I found it and I'm so mad this whole automation things is hidden. It's like "if this then that" back when it was good. What the heck why is it buried.
(DIR) Post #AuZY1nYYmOpzEZWawq by NocturnalNessa@infosec.exchange
2025-05-29T02:36:28Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird my children will learn ffmpeg
(DIR) Post #AuaGdu4iqv3KQVjbm4 by VirginiaHolloway@urbanists.social
2025-05-29T10:56:24Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @rhempel It's the 21 century version of those record (and then CD) clubs where you had a couple of days each month to tell them you didn't want that months selection before they'd send it to you. I used to berate my parents about all the unwanted CDs they got that way.
(DIR) Post #Aud1lNYYizRa39g1VQ by cali@chaosfem.tw
2025-05-30T18:53:49Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@futurebird @bk1e Shortcuts is kinda an odd duck. On one hand it’s simple and a somewhat determined user can do useful things with it. I just made one for myself this past week. AndIt is rather opaque, it’s not very clear about what to do to get the results you want. So most users open it, poke around then close it again because they’re not sure what to do. Which is exactly what I did till finally getting somewhere last week. Without a clear outcome to aim for the app isn’t super good at “discovery” which tends to push it out of the limelight.
(DIR) Post #Aud5Njt4RmviAsFofY by stevenaleach@sigmoid.social
2025-05-30T19:34:11Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Android is just as bad. I *HATE* that there's no way to even filter out the non-free stuff and stuff that shows ads. I mean if the "app store" allows non-free stuff in and doesn't let users filter it out then it's useless.And why is it *all* shareware/nagware at best? There's no default basic tools that are all ad-free and just there.That's why I just use my computer as a computer (Debian) and my phone as a phone. The NPR app is about the only extra thing I install.
(DIR) Post #Aud5zW9LyFWuZZstCS by stevenaleach@sigmoid.social
2025-05-30T19:41:12Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @rhempel Amazon Prime!: I've never intentionally "subscribed" to "prime", and I rarely buy stuff on Amazon or elsewhere. But twice i n the last few years I've gone to Amazon and discovered that I was a "prime" customer... because I'd missed something I needed to uncheck months before the previous time I'd ordered something and had automatically signed up for "prime" during checkout due to my inattention. I don't know how much they steal per month when they manage that.
(DIR) Post #Aud6LAecZVvyHApoFk by stib@aus.social
2025-05-30T19:45:04Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird100% certain those apps are just front ends for ffmpeg, and that the "developers" pay $0.00 to the ffmpeg project in return.
(DIR) Post #Aud6m20qoC1tIH2ZYu by stevenaleach@sigmoid.social
2025-05-30T19:49:56Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird The Android "app store" disgusts me. It's an unpleasant flashback - I moved to Linux in 1995, but I vaguely recall that everything I had access to before that was either commercial software or shareware with locked features and nag screens.But it's been 30 years since I've seen stuff like that and I get to be oblivious to the fact that commercial stuff still exists... Until I want to find a tool I can run on my phone.. and instead of apt-get there's "apps' with price tags?!